


There Isn’t a Thing I Regret

by Quirky_Pen_Name



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2020-02-15 22:04:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18678235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quirky_Pen_Name/pseuds/Quirky_Pen_Name
Summary: Tsunashi Ryunosuke lives in a small village by the ocean. He’s used to a calm, quiet life until an ice wizard throws a wrench in everything he’s ever known.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a very strange AU based loosely off an idea I had about the Xmas Illusion outfits and someone screaming “give me a sexy wizard Sougo!”
> 
> Whelp I tried. 
> 
> I had several people beta this for me, thank you loves bc I’m always needing help with syntax.
> 
> Also, you may grow to hate the first sentence of this fic. :)

Tsunashi Ryunosuke lives in a small village by the ocean. He leads a simple life: every morning he wakes up, checks on the sea faeries, catches fish for the town, brings them to market, comes home, cooks, and sleeps. Of course there are additional items scattered in between those tasks, but essentially that’s the long and short of it. Rinse, lather, repeat. Ryunosuke likes it here. The battle for land between the water mages and the ice wizards still rages on further inland, but here it’s quiet and calm. Here is home. 

One morning, on his way to check the sea faeries, he stumbles across something that throws a wrench into his well-oiled machine. A very large, ice wizard sized wrench. Ryunosuke quickly looks around. There’s no one nearby, and a pathetic sound comes from the lips of the man on the ground. Despite everything he’s been taught, Ryunosuke rushes to the injured man’s side. Upon quick examination, there’s a magic wound and it’s a nasty one at that. Most likely the work of boiled water from one of his water mage brethren. That burnt hand also looks fairly crushed, which is most likely the main source of his pain. The wizard groans again. Ryunosuke notes there are bruises and some blood. It doesn’t look good. 

There’s only one choice. He starts to pull off the outer layers that the wizard is wearing, wondering how he can move in such elaborate clothing. No matter. Ryunosuke easily scoops him up in his arms and takes him to the edge of the water. He begins to wade in from the shore as he starts to sing. It’s a soothing melody, a song of the ocean, and one he sings frequently. The notes of his song call the sea faeries and they begin to swim in a circle around him. 

“Please,” Ryunosuke begins, “I know it’s a heavy price, but please - help me with a miracle.”

There’s a soft glow coming from the ripples of the water. Ryunosuke gently lowers the wizard into the water up to his neck. He lets the sea faeries take the rest from there. 

The surface scratches heal quickly, but it will take time for the magic wounds to mend. 

Ryunosuke looks to the surface of the water. The bodies of three sea faeries float on the waves. He hefts the wizard out of the water and lies him on the shore. Then wades back into the water to collect the three bodies. Ryunosuke can’t help the tears welling in his eyes as he looks at the tiny lifeless creatures in the palm of his hand. 

“I’m so sorry,” he whispers. Their forms begin to crack once out of the water and they turn to sand between his fingers. A soft breeze blows their ashes across the water as if to scatter them back where they belong. The brunette looks down at his hands where teardrops lightly spread across his palms. He’ll make an offering to the sea later in penance but for now he moves back to where he laid the wizard in the sand. Ryunosuke gently lifts the wizard and brings him to his home. 

Two full days pass before the wizard’s fever breaks, and another three before he finally makes the slightest sound of consciousness. Ryuunosuke hears a groan from the bedroom while he’s in the kitchen and rushes to his bedside. The ice wizard slowly opens his eyes but it’s not long before he has to close them again. 

“W...here…?” Is all he can manage. 

“Shhh,” Ryunosuke says softly. “Rest. You’re safe.”

The ice wizard gives a nod then slips back to sleep. 

It’s dawn the next day when the wizard finally manages to sit upright on his own. His movement stirs Ryunosuke, who is sleeping upright in a chair beside the bed. 

“You’re awake,” he sighs out, a literal breath of relief. 

“Where am I?” The wizard looks around, then looks down at his hands. The right one looks horrifically burned and is in some sort of makeshift cast. 

“You’re in the Okinawa Village,” Ryunosuke begins, and it’s no sooner than the word ‘village’ is finished that the ice wizard shouts and tries to cast a spell. 

Nothing happens. 

“What have you done to me?!” The white-haired man panics, trying to scramble from the bed. He’s built and lithe but still no match for Ryunosuke’s brute strength. 

“You have to calm down!” He says, grasping both of the man’s shoulders. “Calm down and let me expl-“

When Ryunosuke meets the eyes of the ice wizard, a shiver of fear runs down his spine.

“I will make you pay for this, water mage.” He says quietly, violet eyes glinting with an evident revenge.

“I didn’t… I found you like this,” Ryunosuke swallows down his nerves. Granted, he has his powers and the ice wizard has none, but this aura is truly terrifying.

“You expect me to believe that?” 

How is it that when he’s calmer he’s more frightening?!

“You can believe what you want,” The brunette answers, trying to even out his voice as well. “I found you and you’ve been in my care for the past few days. It’s a miracle that you lived.” 

Literally. He tries not to let the deaths of the faeries hang on his conscience. But they will.

“Miracle?” The man almost laughs. Almost. “I’d rather die than be saved by you.”

Ryunosuke stands up straight at that, anger coursing through him.

“You don’t know the price paid for it,” he growls, as the uncharacteristic anger continues welling up inside him. “And why? Because I’m a water mage? Who decided we’re so different that we should hate each other? What is _ice_ without _water,_ anyway?” Ryunosuke turns and heads for the door. “If you want to leave, you’re free to go any time. But the rest of my village might not treat you kindly. And you won’t get far on foot before they spot you.” 

The sinister aura may have dissipated, but the ice wizard doesn’t move from his spot. Ryunosuke lets out a sigh. 

“I’ll bring your dinner in a bit.”

“Don’t bother.” 

Ryunosuke leaves in a quiet anger before he proves the ice wizard right - he hears him mutter that water mages are beasts. 

Four meals are attempted and zero are eaten. The ice wizard refuses to eat for two days in a bout of stubbornness. Ryunosuke wants to pull his hair out in frustration. But, he is also stubborn in his own way. So he tries again to get the wizard to eat. 

“You can’t hold your head up because you’re dizzy from starvation,” Ryunosuke tries to speak softly because he’s sure the wizard has a headache by now. 

The wizard makes a huff sound, partially opening his eyes. He’s sitting upright, supported by the pillows against the headboard. 

“You could think of it like this. If you eat and recover, then you can kill me yourself?” Ryunosuke offers, but sighs. “Although I’ve never really understood this rivalry to begin with.” He takes a spoon of soup and blows on it. It’s not piping hot, as he’s afraid the wizard might try to knock it out of his hand and get burnt more as a result. 

It seems the wizard is loopy enough to let the spoon touch his lips. Ryuu tilts his chin up a little and the soup is swallowed without too much of a fuss. He feeds him the entire bowl without another word exchanged between them. 

The wizard closes his eyes and Ryunosuke takes it as a small win. He feeds the wizard breakfast the next morning with about the same level of ease; the sharpness and cold aura have seemed to quell for now. 

It’s the following day’s lunch that the wizard asks, “The other day. What did you mean by your question?” Ryunosuke swears the two hairs that stick up in the middle of the wizard's scalp twitch as he inquires, as if to punctuate the question. 

“My question?” The brunette scratches his head. 

“What is ice without water?” The wizard stirs the soup slowly with his spoon, clearly looking pensive. 

“Well, you can’t make ice without water, right? So are we really so different from one another?” He scratches his cheek sheepishly.

“But your analogy doesn’t make sense,” the wizard corrects, looking down at his semi-burnt hand. “If our powers stemmed from the same source then perhaps that analogy could be utilized, however the very core of my magick and your magic are more like water and oil than water and ice.” 

Ryunosuke blinks, as that’s the most he’s said since Ryunosuke rescued him. But it’s equally as shocking that it sounds like the wizard is...scolding him?

A smile crosses Ryunosuke’s lips as he chimes, “I didn’t intend for it to be taken so literally.”

“How else would someone take that?” The white-haired wizard looks affronted. “The art of magick is something that has to be studied, trained, practiced, while-“ He stops mid-sentence when he sees the brunette covering his mouth trying to stifle laughter. “Are you laughing at me?”

“No! No, I’m not laughing at you!” Ryunosuke puts his hands up and waves them, though not as frantically as if he were truly in a panic. “It’s just… you have to admit it’s kind of funny.”

“What is?”

“The fact you’re scolding me about the difference between magic and magick.” He laughs a little, but instantly clamps his mouth shut when he sees what looks like a dejected look on the wizard’s face. He tries to back pedal, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-“

“It’s fine. I’m not unused to it.” The wizard sets the soup bowl down on the tray next to the bed and turns to look out the window. 

He’s pretty serious, Ryunosuke notes, and he walks over to pick up the empty bowl. 

“By the way, I didn’t catch your name. I’m Ryunosuke, but you can call me-“

“Water mage,” the wizard calls evenly. “That is sufficient for me. I’ll be healed soon and there’s no point to make pleasantries.” 

The brunette wants to argue, but he can’t find the words to do so. Instead, he nods and exits to the kitchen. 

The next morning, as he tends to the sea faeries, Ryunosuke can’t help but glance at his bedroom window. It’s as if he summons the wizard to peek out at him through the glass pane. Ryunosuke gives a small wave, but the wizard quickly ducks out of his line of sight. 

He finishes caring for the faeries and steps from the water. Ryunosuke shakes out the water from his hair and reaches to pull on his tunic. He’s clearly tan from the frequent shirtless dips into the water, and he wonders if it’s his tan that’s causing the wizard to peek back out of the window again. The wizard is certainly pale, so it must be darker skin that’s making him curious. No one would be that impressed by muscles, right? He offers a smile and the wizard ducks his head down once more. 

Cute. Not that he should be using the word cute to describe a supposed enemy but…

It appears that, all things considered, the ice wizard is relatively shy and serious. Ryunosuke smiles a bit to himself as he heads inside to fix breakfast. Today he makes actual solid food, since the ice wizard has been consuming soup for the past few days. He figures some fish and bread should still be light enough for his stomach to handle. The brunette prepares a tray and before heading into the room, knocks on the door. He doesn’t hear a response but opens it anyway. 

“Good morning,” Ryunosuke smiles. The ice wizard looks down at his hands, then out the window.

“What were you doing outside?”

Ryunosuke sets the tray on the small table next to the bed. 

“Well, early this morning I had to catch some fish to bring to market. One of the grannies runs the booth and I do the heavy lifting.” He smiles, “she likes to chat with her patrons and it keeps her busy! So I drop off the bounty first thing, then come back and take care of the sea faeries.”

The ice wizard turns at that, “Sea faeries?”

“Yeah! When you’re feeling better you can come out and meet them! They can be shy sometimes, but they’re very friendly.” 

“Sea faeries.” The ice wizard repeats. “As in, one of the rarest creatures known to this world, and you’re saying they’re…” he gestures to the window.

“Aha,” Ryunosuke scratches the side of his nose. “They saved me when I was younger and brought me to shore here. So I think they’ve taken a liking to me.” 

The white haired man balks at that.

“Sea faeries. That hate wizards and mages. Saved you.” He repeats, slowly. 

“They don’t hate wizards and mages, they just don’t like to see us fighting.” Ryunosuke says quietly. He looks at the plate. “Oh, but you should eat before this gets cold. Fish is always best when it’s piping hot!” The ice wizard looks at the plate, almost guiltily. Ryunosuke thinks perhaps he needs some space to eat. “I’ll go put some hot water on, be back in a sec.”

Sure enough, when he comes back with two mugs of tea, the ice mage is slowly picking at the food. That makes the brunette smile. He sets one of the mugs down on the table and sips his own.

There’s a quiet sound from the ice wizard.

“I’m sorry? I didn’t hear-”

“Thank you.” He says, taking a delicate bite of the fish. 

“There’s plenty more, so please enjoy.” Ryunosuke beams, finally feeling like he’s breaking through. He’s not sure why he’s so hell-bent on befriending the wizard, but there’s something about him that makes the brunette want to take care of him.

And, to be honest, it’s nice to have someone close to his age in town.

For the next few days, Ryunosuke does most of the talking. The ice wizard seems to listen, though he’s not sure whether it’s from forced politeness or boredom. Every so often, the wizard will offer a few words. And a light blush blooms on his cheeks when Ryunosuke smiles. Ryunosuke can’t stop the word cute from echoing in his head - but there’s a tenseness in the shoulders of the ice wizard, which Ryunosuke knows is inevitable. They’re supposed to be enemies after all. 

He just can’t bring himself to see it that way. 

One morning, as Ryunosuke is singing to the sea faeries, he hears soft footsteps approaching from the shore. He turns and gives a wave as he sees the ice wizard near the edge of the water.

“It’s okay. They won’t hurt you.” Ryunosuke waves the white-haired man to come into the water. He shakes his head.

“No, I couldn’t possibly…” His hands go up in protest.

“You could just dip your ankles in! They’ll come say hi so long as part of you is in the water.” 

The ice wizard can see small glints in a circle around the mage. His eyes try to stay focused on the water, but they definitely keep wandering to the naked muscular torso dripping with water. Ryunosuke is splashing water playfully and laughing. He tries to pretend he doesn’t see the wizard put one hesitant foot into the salty waves. 

After a moment, Ryunosuke starts wading over to where the ice wizard is standing. For a moment, it looks like he’s ready to run away. “Wait! Don’t leave. Stay still and they’ll come to you.”

The ice wizard swallows. Ryunosuke gives him a reassuring smile. He says something in a strange tongue, and the glints of light swarming him make their way closer to the shore. The ice wizard crouches down to get a closer look. 

He gasps when he sees the small winged creatures flittering about. Their wings shimmer an iridescent pearl in the water and sparkle like crystals if they jump above the waves. They’re like tiny mermaids with wings, their faces stretched a bit from gills on their cheeks. There are also gills on their collarbones, and shimmery rainbow scales littering their skin. Strangely beautiful, in their own way. Their energy radiates magic. 

“They’re like...tiny people,” the wizard notes aloud. He’s clearly amazed looking at them up close.

“They are. They tell me stories of love, of loss, of hope,” Ryunosuke says softly. He scoops water in his palms and brings one up to his cheek. It gives the brunette a soft kiss and dives back into the ocean. He laughs. The ice wizard dips his unmarred fingers in the water. One swims over and taps his skin. He pulls his hand back, clearly unnerved. “They don’t bite,” Ryunosuke chirps.

“I know, it just feels...intrusive.”

“They like you or they wouldn’t come over,” Ryunosuke offers. The ice wizard looks at the mage then turns his hand over as if it’s a seat. One of the sea faeries takes the invitation and sits in the palm of his hand.

“S-She’s sitting there!” He tries not to disturb her, but his hand trembles a little. Ryunosuke wades to stand beside him. 

“She likes you,” he smiles and gives a little playful flick of water. 

“I-isn’t it rude to splash them?!” The wizard gasps. But then he sees the tiny faerie laughing and splashing back. It’s barely a drop that hits Ryunosuke’s skin. 

“This one likes being really playful,” he laughs, then makes clicking noises with his tongue. There are tiny clicks that echo back in response. Whatever she says makes Ryunosuke laugh and nod. 

“What did she say?”

“That your eyes are pretty. She likes the color.” 

“T-Thank you very much!!” He yelps, a blush creeping on his cheeks. There are some more clicks, a conversation he isn’t privy to. 

“She says you’re welcome,” the brunette says. He’s hopeful that the wizard won’t notice the exasperation in his tone. He certainly won’t tell the wizard that she asked if they were mates. Or that she insisted they should be, since he’s pretty for a human. Faeries can be quite superficial, and it’s clear to Ryunosuke that this is one of those times. He still chuckles, despite being embarrassed. “One more song and then I have chores to do.” There are a series of clicks in response and Ryunosuke smiles. He starts to sing, a warm baritone filling the air. The faeries splash in delight. The wizard meets his eyes for a brief moment, then turns back to play with the faeries. The song finishes and the faeries splash under the water and disappear into the waves. 

Ryunosuke smiles. He extends a hand to the wizard. The white haired man almost takes it. It’s such a seemingly innocent gesture. But then it’s as if he snaps out of a trance and stands up on his own. Ryunosuke is sure his face conveys disappointment, but at least for a moment it felt like they were actually getting along. 

As Ryunosuke heads into the kitchen, the wizard doesn’t disappear into the room like he usually does. Instead, he looks around the small house. The brunette tries to busy himself but he’s curious at what the ice wizard is up to. He turns and nearly jumps out of his skin, as the wizard is standing right behind him. 

“Ah! You scared me!” Ryunosuke laughs, a bit sheepish at being startled so suddenly.

The ice wizard fidgets, but Ryunosuke waits for him to speak. “Can I help?” He rubs his wounded fingers nervously. He’s bored, the brunette muses to himself, as he would be if the situation was reversed. 

“Of course! Let me see if I can find something that you can do with the splint on…” Ryunosuke thinks for a moment, then pounds his fist into his palm. “Got it! Wait here.” The wizard watches as the mage comes back with some rags, “Would you mind dusting? I haven’t gotten to it this week.” 

He gets a nod of response while he begins to salt cure some of the fish he caught earlier. Ryunosuke hums happily, chopping and arranging the meat. As he does so, he spills a little salt. “Um! Could you toss me a rag?” 

The wizard doesn’t toss it, but walks it over.

“Thanks.” Ryunosuke smiles up at him. “I know you said there was no point but… it would be nice to know your name.”

The wizard turns away and goes back to cleaning. Ryunosuke is about to take that as his answer when he hears,

“Sougo.” The wizard’s back is turned as he dusts. “Osaka Sougo.” 

“Sougo-kun…” Ryunosuke says, softly. 

Sougo turns around at that, cheeks a bit flushed, “Y-Yes?”

Ryunosuke shakes his head, “I just wanted to try saying it! Sougo-kun.” He smiles. “It suits you.” 

Sougo turns back around and continues to clean. Ryunosuke can’t stop smiling as he continues to prepare the fish for the coming days. 

Housework becomes the way they spend time together, and Sougo opens up bit by bit. 

Except for one thing.

“Water mage, I can’t find the pot you used for the rice.” Ryunosuke chuckles at that, as if it’s the last hurdle for him to tackle. 

“It’s in the sink, I needed it for the stew base earlier.”

“Thank you.” 

His speech is much more polite, but somehow feels more endearing than before. As Ryunosuke folds the laundry, he asks, “can you explain how magick works? I’ve heard that any kind of wizard can create amazing things, but that ice wizards are the best at creation.” 

There’s a pause. 

“That’s correct. Fire wizards tend to be more offensive with their magic. Air wizards are more whimsical. Earth wizards are wielders. Ice wizards are creationists.” 

Ryunosuke continues to fold. “It gets complicated with the different wizards and the different mages.” He lets out a sigh, “it feels like everyone is fighting each other, even when on the same side.” 

Sougo slows his drying of the pot he washed. He lets out a breath through his nose, “we aren’t segregated like that in my village.” 

“Really?”

He gives a nod, “we’re actually...all from different wizard sects. My ward is an air mage.”

“You have a ward?” Ryunosuke asks, freezing in the middle of a fold.

“Yes. But it’s better that I’m here. He was captured, because of me. By the fire wizards. I saved him, but I…”

“That’s what the burn on your hand is from,” Ryunosuke realizes, “it wasn’t a mage at all.” 

Sougo shakes his head, “My father tried to stop me from leaving. I managed to get my ward back to my friends, but…” he grips the rag tightly. Ryunosuke makes his way across the kitchen and puts a hand to his shoulder. 

“I’m sorry, Sougo-kun, that you’ve been through so much.”

Sougo shakes his head, “Everyone has their burdens. At least I know Tamaki-kun is safe now. I’m pretty sure they all think I’m dead. I probably would have been, had you not…” He steps away from Ryunosuke’s touch. 

“Sorry, I-“

“I apologize, but I’m not feeling well. I’m going to lay down.” Sougo folds and sets the rag on the counter. He doesn’t look back as he makes his way to the bedroom. Ryunosuke watches him close the door. The wizard is homesick. The brunette could ask the sea faeries for help, but he’s afraid of what the price would be a second time. He sighs lightly and goes back to his chores. 

When the sun rises the next day, Ryunosuke waits outside to watch the look on Sougo’s face. He’s made a surprise that he hopes will brighten the ice wizard’s mood, even if only a little. 

Sure enough, Sougo dashes outside moments later. Ryunosuke is patting some snow on the ground. 

“What…?”

“I figured you’re probably missing the cold, so I brought a little of it to you,” Ryunosuke explains. He spins his hands and Sougo watches as water from the ocean comes to him, then turns to snow as it passes through his fingers. 

“You did this...for me?” Sougo asks, tone a combination of confusion and something that’s hard for Ryunosuke to place. Perhaps fear? He’s unsure. But the brunette nods in response as he pats the snow into a shape. 

“He’s pretty cute, right?” Ryunosuke gestures to the very unfortunate looking snowman he’s just finished. Sougo starts to touch a small patch of the snow. It’s strange because it feels cold despite how warm the weather is surrounding them. And the snow pats into a snowball just as nicely as one would expect. The brunette watches him, feeling warmth bloom in his chest as a small smile spreads across Sougo’s lips. He braves asking, “Help me make another?”

Sougo nods and quietly begins to roll the snow into a base. They craft a second snowman to stand next to Ryunosuke’s, only Sougo makes the face for the counterpart. Sougo is immensely proud of the snow fang he’s carved into what was probably supposed to be a smile, but looks like a cry of pain. 

“They’re cute,” Sougo surmises, seemingly happy with the outcome. 

“Yeah, we did a good job!” Ryunosuke laughs. Sougo glances up at him with a look that’s hard for Ryunosuke to read. Perhaps it’s best described as conflicted. 

“Thank you,” he says. “It felt like home for a moment.”

“You’re welcome,” Ryunosuke replies softly. It strikes him then. He’s known it all along but in that moment he realizes this is fleeting. Eventually, Sougo will return home. He doesn’t belong here, and will surely leave once he’s fully healed. 

“Your magic...it’s strange to see it so effortless.” The comment snaps Ryunosuke out of the sad spiral of his thoughts.

“What do you mean?”

“With magick, you have to do two things for it to work. Name your price and release its power through your fingertips.”

“What do you mean by name your price?”

Sougo rolls some of the snow around in his hands. 

“Magick is about checks and balances. If you’re summoning something that exists, the price is negligible. If you’re creating something or removing something, then the price must be equal.” Ryunosuke thinks he must look confused, because Sougo continues, “Let’s say I want to create a snowman. I might name my price as some of the water in my body. Fire wizards tend to offer blood to create flame. That’s why their attacks are fierce and quick. They need time to recharge. You can do the same for something intangible as well. Say I want to alter a memory. I can give up something intangible to do so, as long as the price named is of equal value.” 

“Is that why wizards mumble under their breath?” 

Sougo chuckles, “Yes, we have to speak aloud the price we’re naming in order to invoke our magick. Then the magick flows through our fingertips and we can harness it. But that’s also why removing a wizard’s fingers or hands is worse than death. Because it’s about balance, our bodies must be balanced in order to release the magick.”

“That’s why you panicked when you first woke up,” the brunette notes softly. Sougo, on instinct, cradles his hand to his chest.

“It wasn’t your fault, but I was scared.” 

“It’s looking better, at least?” Ryunosuke offers a small smile. Sougo returns it.

“Yes, it should be good as new soon. You’ve helped it heal with whatever you did.”

“It was actually…” He nods toward the water. “They’re the ones that healed you.”

“The sea faeries did?!” Sougo’s eyes go wide. He looks over toward the water, where he can see some flecks glistening on the waves. He’s gotten better at spotting them. His brows knit together, connecting dots inside his mind. “You said I didn’t know the price… what happened when they healed me?”

Ryunosuke shuffles a bit. He rubs the back of his neck. “I didn’t quite know what I was asking,” he admits. “They’ve often told me I can ask for a miracle because they know I won’t abuse it. But I never understood what that meant.” Sougo takes a step forward, looking up at Ryunosuke’s face. He’s searching and waiting for the answer simultaneously. The brunette glances away when their eyes meet. Sougo takes another step forward to set his hand on Ryunosuke’s forearm, silently pleading him to continue. “They told me after, that depending on how big of a miracle...sometimes their bodies can’t handle granting the request. That it takes the very essence of their existence to grant the wish. Sometimes it even takes more than one.” Ryunosuke looks down at his arm to see Sougo gripping the fabric there.

“...How many?” Ryunosuke shakes his head. “Please, I need to know.” Sougo insists, gripping a little tighter. Ryunosuke sucks in a small breath.

“Three.” Sougo releases the fabric of his shirt. He looks toward the sea.

“I apologize for my insensitive comment from that time.” The wizard states, his voice laced with sorrow. Sougo walks to the shore and kneels in the sand. He puts his hands in the water, and after having heard it so many mornings, he sings the song Ryunosuke always does. Ryunosuke is surprised to hear it, and would be more impressed by the quality of Sougo’s voice if he wasn’t quite frankly shocked. He slowly approaches, watching the faeries flock to Sougo’s hands. “I’m truly sorry,” he says to them, once they start climbing on his fingers. Ryunosuke makes the weird click sounds that the faeries always respond to. There are clicks back and forth. It sounds like an intense conversation to an outsider.

“They say they’re glad that they helped you,” he says, kneeling next to Sougo.

“It sounded like they said more than that.”

Ryunosuke is trying to hide his blush. “It’s embarrassing. They’re just happy to see I have company.” He glances back over to Sougo, who seems to be pondering something. But after a moment, the wizard smiles. 

“I see.” He looks back down at the faeries. “Thank you for your kindness.” 

Their shoulders are touching as they kneel in the water, waves lapping at them playfully. The faeries jump between both of them. It’s almost as if they have a renewed energy. There aren’t more words exchanged, but something has definitely shifted. Ryunosuke isn’t sure what’s to come, but he’s happy to share this peaceful moment. 

The day passes, rather uneventfully.

The next night, Sougo is sitting on the couch folding the laundry. He’s gotten more adept at chores with one hand, but he’s able to start flexing his fingers. Ryunosuke sets a mug on the table in front of him. He looks up with a smile, “Thank you.” 

“Thank you for folding the laundry.” 

“It gives me something to do.” Sougo answers honestly. “Oh, actually, when I dusted your shelf earlier, I found this.” He reaches over and hands Ryunosuke a worn letter. “I didn’t read it, but it looked important.”

“Ah, thank you. It is, but I just keep it out of sight sometimes.” Ryunosuke picks up his own mug and takes a sip. 

“Have you always lived alone?” Sougo asks, pausing to take a sip of his drink as well.

“For a long time. My brothers…” He lets out a small breath as he sets down his mug. Ryunosuke picks the letter back up, as if it could give him a bit of strength to continue. “My pops took my brothers and I out to sea. There was a storm and,” he turns the letter over in his hands, “I was the only one who made it.” He sets the letter down, running his fingers along the edge of the parchment. “The sea faeries, they...they told me that I tried to save everyone but I couldn’t. They couldn’t either. So they saved me. And this,” he rustles the parchment again. “This letter was in a bottle on the ship. It’s all I have left.” 

Sougo sets his mug down and turns to face Ryunosuke. He puts a hand to his knee and the brunette looks over at the wizard.

“My father...he executed my uncle. For declaring himself an ice wizard.” 

“Your father did?” Ryunosuke knows his face conveys shock, especially since family...it’s supposed to be warm. That’s what he’s missed for so long.

Sougo nods, “my family are esteemed fire wizards. They’re all warriors. But my uncle, he...he valued art and song. Dance and creation. He was truly amazing.” The ice wizard adjusts his splint. “After my uncle was killed, I felt immense guilt that I didn’t stop it. I know I was just a child, but… he was right there. Why was I too scared to move?” Ryunosuke places his hand atop Sougo’s. Their eyes meet for a long moment. “I hate how much of a coward I am.”

“I think you’re brave, Sougo-kun. You’re brave and you’re strong and you’re kind.” Under Ryunosuke’s intense gaze, Sougo has to look down.

“You’re the one who is truly all of those things. It’s not even a comparison.” 

“You’re right. It’s not a comparison, because it’s not a competition. We’re different, but we also have a lot in common.” The brunette moves his hand to cup Sougo’s cheek. The ice wizard lets out a shaky breath, then closes his eyes and leans into the touch. Ryunosuke smiles and leans in to kiss the top of his head. “You’ll be healed soon. You’ll be home soon.” He starts to pull away but Sougo catches him, pulling him back closer. 

“I could...stay,” he says softly. Ryunosuke’s heart flutters. 

“You could, if you wanted,” the brunette murmurs in response. “But won’t you...miss your ward? Your friends?” Ryunosuke gently tucks some hair behind Sougo’s ear. 

“You could come with me,” He says, voice sounding weak. Almost as if he knows that’s not an option. 

“I’m a mage, I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t be too happy with that,” Ryunosuke muses, though it doesn’t come out as light as he had hoped. “And I have to take care of the faeries. Without someone that believes in them, they die off. In fact, since you’ve been here two more have been bor-”

It doesn’t occur to Ryunosuke how close they are until Sougo’s lips grace his. Ryunosuke’s breath hitches, surprised by the feather-light contact. 

Oh, how he wants to.

He wants to cup either side of Sougo’s face, to kiss him senseless, to pull him into his arms and never let him go. He wants it so, so badly. It’s right here, he can literally taste it, it’s so close.

But he pulls back ever so slightly. Ryunosuke sucks in a breath. “We...we can’t,” he says softly, still able to feel Sougo’s warm breath on his lips. 

“Why not?” Sougo asks, and Ryunosuke can see the hurt he’s swallowing down with the question. 

“It’s taking advantage of you. You’re wounded, you’ve been in my care and… we just… not like this.” He says gently, brushing Sougo’s bangs away from his forehead to look in his eyes. He can see the pain there, the embarrassment. Sougo makes a small sound, only to wiggle out of Ryunosuke’s touches and get to his feet. Sougo silently turns away. Ryunosuke looks down at his hands as he hears Sougo head to the bedroom. He buries his face in his hands once he hears Sougo close the door. 

He shouldn’t have gotten so attached in the first place. It’s not fair to keep Sougo here. Even if he wants him to stay.

This is for the best.

The next morning, Ryunosuke has trouble opening his eyes. He feels dizzy and warm, blindsided by an illness he didn’t anticipate. He tries to sit up and can’t. He’s pretty sure he hears Sougo’s voice.

For a second, it almost sounds like he says, “Tsunashi-san!” He sounds worried.

Ryunosuke’s not sure if he actually manages to say, “I’m okay,” but he certainly tries before he slips into a deep slumber.

Ryunosuke groans as he blearily blinks his eyes open. He makes a small grunt as he moves to sit up, clutching his head. 

“Here, please drink some water.” It takes a minute for him to realize Sougo is addressing him. 

“Thanks,” he says, taking a sip from the mug. He scrubs his face with his hand, trying to balance himself to his surroundings. “What time is it?”

“You mean what day is it,” Sougo chuckles lightly. “You’ve been in and out a few days.”

Ryunosuke’s eyes go wide, and he starts to move to get up. But Sougo puts both hands lightly on his chest to stop him. 

“If it’s the sea faeries, don’t worry. Communication was a little challenging, but they’re all fine. They also helped me catch some fish to bring to the market for you.” He realizes his hands are still on Ryunosuke’s chest and rips them back as if it’s lava. “A-Apologies! I just don’t want you to stand so quickly.” 

“It’s okay,” He says warmly, adjusting himself upright. “Thank you. For taking care of them while I was out cold. I don’t know what came over me…”

“I do,” Sougo says, sounding a bit more solemn. “It seems like Tamaki-kun teamed up with his friend and placed a curse on my “captor,” despite the fact the village elder told them not to. This whole time they assumed the fire wizards still had me.” He lets out a small sigh, “It’s honestly a good thing he doesn’t study or it could have been worse.” 

“How do you know that?” Ryunosuke asks, to which Sougo raises both hands. He moves his fingers. “Your hand!” 

Sougo smiles, “It’s not perfect, but I’m able to do quite a bit. I would have healed you myself but counteracting magick that’s been invoked with magick after the fact is not only tricky, it’s dangerous. You might have wound up more injured.” He stands up and adjusts the blanket on Ryunosuke.

“I’m glad that you’re able to move your hands so well.” He says, though a sudden rush of dread washes over him. 

If Sougo is healed, then…

“I am as well. I wanted to make sure you were well before I left,” He gives Ryunosuke a sad smile, “I couldn’t leave the person who saved my life in pain.” Ryunosuke starts to sit up again, but Sougo backs away from the couch. “I’ve already contacted my ward and the village. I’ll be making preparations to leave tomorrow.” He gives a small bow of his head, then hurries into the kitchen. 

Ryunosuke watches him hurry away and can’t help the tears that are welling in his eyes. 

Tomorrow, it will all be over. 

Tomorrow, he’ll be alone again.

Maybe it’s the fever wearing off, but the dizziness of his mind is overwhelming. He needs to get up, to convince Sougo not to leave. But his body won’t let him. He feels the hot tears on either side of his face and covers his eyes with a hand. 

It’s for the best, he has to tell himself. 

It’s for the best. 

When he’s well enough to finally stand, he makes his way into the kitchen. Sougo has quite a spread on the table with various things from the market. 

“Sougo-kun, you did all of this?”

Sougo nearly jumps out of his skin, startled. He offers a smile after the initial shock. 

“I thought we could have a nice meal. I’ve made a few dishes from my village, although they may be too bland. The market doesn’t seem to have the kind of peppers I usually use.” He finishes setting down the last dish. 

Ryunosuke is torn, highly considering knocking all of the food to the floor and shoving Sougo onto the table in a desperate attempt to get him to stay. 

Instead, he manages a, “thank you.” Sougo smiles and they both take a seat. Dinner is unsurprisingly quiet, a palpable tension in the air. Both take turns starting to say something, only to go back to picking at their plates. 

“Dinner is delicious,” Ryunosuke finally offers. 

“Thank you. I’m glad you’re enjoying it.” And back to the silence they go. 

Most of the food is untouched. Even though Ryunosuke has a hearty appetite and even though he wants to cherish what Sougo has made him… it’s too painful. Every bite, every swallow is a chore. 

“If it isn’t good, you don’t have to force yourself,” Sougo says, taking his time eating as well.

“It’s not that. The food is really good, I just… I think my stomach is still unsettled.” It’s not entirely a lie, and Sougo graciously nods and accepts it as an answer. He stands up and offers to take Ryunosuke’s plate. Ryunosuke stands up as well, “No need, I can clean up tomorrow.”

Sougo shakes his head. “Please, allow me to do this last thing for you.”

“I don’t want that,” Ryunosuke blurts out. He hears his own voice crack. 

“What do you want?” Sougo asks calmly, setting down the plate on the table. 

Ryunosuke reaches, he gently takes one of Sougo’s hands and puts it to his cheek. 

“What I can’t have.” He finally manages an answer. 

Sougo turns to look at Ryunosuke. The brunette holds on to Sougo’s hand on his cheek, as if keeping it there could change the outcome. Sougo slowly brings the other one to cup the brunette’s other cheek. 

He takes a breath, then pulls Ryunosuke’s face to meet his. The kiss is soft, uncertain. Ryunosuke grips both hands holding his face. Sougo breaks away just enough to whisper,

“Then bed me, water mage. Before I change my mind,” Sougo breathes against Ryunosuke’s lips. He should hold back. Didn’t he say to Sougo it was taking advantage?

But he’s only human. He leans down and steals a heated kiss. Sougo shifts his weight and Ryunosuke slides his hands under Sougo’s thighs. Sougo jumps up and Ryunosuke catches him with ease. Their mouths move against each other as Ryunosuke backs up into his room. He backs up into the doorframe, but it barely phases him as he stumbles inside. His grip is strong, so he still can hold the lithe wizard with no issue. He turns to lower Sougo on the bed, climbing on top of him the second he’s sure he won’t fall off. They practically tear each other’s clothes off, desperately kissing as if it’s the last moment they’ll have together. Perhaps it is. Sougo said he was going to leave tomorrow. Not even this can make him stay. 

But Ryunosuke hopes that somehow it will. 

Once they’re both naked, Ryunosuke slows the pace. He kisses a trail from Sougo’s navel to his neck. His lips press softly against paler skin, trying to memorize every inch. Much to his surprise, Sougo very vocally indicates he’s enjoying the attention. The whines slipping from his parted lips are cute, sexy. It’s everything he wants to hear. Ryunosuke slides his hands along the wizard's torso, thumbing his nipples to try and get more needy sounds. Sougo leans up to kiss him and Ryunosuke presses their bare chests together. Their hips grind together, a hint of what’s to come. 

“Please,” Sougo begs, taking one of Ryunosuke’s hands and placing it between his legs. Ryunosuke kisses Sougo’s lips once more before he shifts on the bed, lowering himself to kiss the inside of Sougo’s thighs. Sougo whimpers and a hand shoots to tangle in the brown locks on Ryunosuke’s head. Ryunosuke takes his time sucking and kissing everywhere his tongue can reach. He pauses and fumbles for some oil that he keeps beside the bed. It’s usually used as a salve, but it’s slick enough to use for preparing Sougo. Ryunosuke takes his time, ignoring the choked begging coming from his partner. His tongue flicks and explores, joined by a finger. Then a second. Ryunosuke pulls back to admire Sougo, strewn across his sheets. Chest heaving and face flushed. “Please,” he begs again, rolling his hips off the mattress. Ryunosuke shivers, giving himself a few quick strokes with the extra oil that he has on his hand. The brunette then shifts positions onto his knees. He lifts Sougo’s hips up off the bed and pushes his cock into the tight ring of muscle waiting for him. Sougo moans and bucks his hips out of reflex, to which Ryunosuke slides in deeper. He pauses, waiting for Sougo to adjust. When Sougo bucks his hips again, he takes that as the signal. 

Ryunosuke pulls back and very slowly pushes himself completely inside, gripping on to Sougo’s hips to steady himself. Sougo is clearly maddened by this painstakingly slow pace, trying to move his hips. But Ryunosuke’s grip is too strong, so all he can do is curl his toes in anticipation of the next slow thrust. 

Ryunosuke leans forward to get a better view of Sougo’s face. He holds their position, making sure Sougo can feel how deep inside him he is. Ryunosuke lets out a shaky breath, groaning at the sounds Sougo keeps making. The wizard’s lips are parted, moaning shamelessly with increasingly flushed cheeks and glazed over eyes. Ryuunosuke thrusts again, harder this time and Sougo’s voice cracks from the pleasure. The brunette is learning what angle gets the loudest reaction. 

Sougo can’t even beg properly as Ryunosuke starts to snap his hips in a steady rhythm; garbled sounds are all he can muster. Ryunosuke watches as one of Sougo’s hands tangles into the sheets above his snowy locks and the other reaches to give his neglected dick a stroke. Ryunosuke removes one hand from Sougo’s hip to catch that hand and pin it above his head. 

“Ahh-! Pl-please-“

He silences him with a kiss, stopping his thrusts. 

Sougo whines into the kiss, trying desperately to get Ryunosuke to move again by wiggling his hips. The brunette groans, his hips twitching slightly in response. He’s trying to draw it out, to take his time, to make this last as long as possible. 

But even he’s getting impatient, and his body is screaming at him to move. Sougo’s legs wrap around his waist and the smaller man rolls his hips up, squeezing his ass cheeks together. That’s enough to rip the floodgates open, and Ryunosuke starts to snap his hips forward again. He’s moving more erratically, pushing himself deeper into Sougo’s tight heat, which Sougo responds to by tightening his muscles. He’s moaning and begging and it’s driving Ryunosuke mad. 

“Sougo, please,” He grunts between thrusts, “my name.”

Sougo’s eyes go wide as that’s followed by a particularly rough thrust. 

He leans up to Ryunosuke’s surprise, wrapping his arms around his neck and moaning into the skin there. 

“Ryu—ahh,” He tries to get out the rest but the thrusts are too much, “Ryu—-no… nnn,” he whimpers, his nails digging into Ryunosuke’s shoulder blades. Ryuu reaches between them and finally starts to stroke Sougo. His hand works quickly, matching the pace of his thrusts. All Sougo can manage are little stilted sounds of “ahn,” and “ohh,” over and over, and then he’s coming with a loud whine. 

It’s a few more out of control thrusts before Ryunosuke follows suit, emptying inside Sougo as he chokes on his name. There are a few small pangs of pleasure as he comes down from his orgasm, his nerves tingling as the sensation slowly fades. 

Ryunosuke groans as he pulls out and collapses next to Sougo on the bed. He’s gently running his fingers through Sougo’s hair when he moves to cup his cheek. 

“I love you, Sougo.”

At that, Sougo leans down to press a soft kiss to his lips. He murmurs something inaudible. Ryunosuke is a little dazed, so he doesn’t catch what he said. “Say it again?” He mumbles kissing Sougo’s lips once more. He’s so warm, so happy, so hopeful. But also, so tired. He’s struggling to stay awake. 

“Shh. Rest, Ryunosuke-san.” He’s overwhelmed as his eyes start to close. It feels so dizzying, almost like he’s being forced to sleep. 

“Wai-“ But it’s a mumble, an incoherent sound of protest. Just on the brink of unconsciousness, he hears Sougo whisper softly. 

“And forget.”

There’s the brush of lips against his forehead. Ryunosuke struggles to stay awake, but it’s fruitless. And so he falls asleep. 

And forgets. 

.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.

 

Tsunashi Ryunosuke lives in a small village by the ocean. He leads a simple life: every morning he wakes up, checks on the sea faeries, catches fish for the town, brings them to market, comes home, cooks, and sleeps. Of course there are additional items scattered in between those tasks, but essentially that’s the long and short of it. Rinse, lather, repeat. Ryunosuke feels tired here. It’s as if something important is missing. The battle over land continues just beyond the horizon, and something about it draws Ryunosuke’s interest. Maybe he wants to travel? He doesn’t know what’s calling him and it’s frustrating. This used to feel like home, but now it just feels... empty. He doesn’t understand what changed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sougo’s snowmen are the best and I love them. 
> 
> Part II will be posted on 5/10!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it going to get better... or worse? 
> 
> :)
> 
> Thanks to my beta readers Jeien, Lex, KitteninaTeacup, and GalacticJax. Yes it takes four people to needle me into posting don’t judge me

Tsunashi Ryunosuke lives in a small village by the ocean. He leads a simple life: every morning he wakes up, checks on the sea faeries, catches fish for the town, brings them to market, comes home, cooks, and sleeps. Of course there are additional items scattered in between those tasks, but essentially that’s the long and short of it. Rinse, lather, repeat. Ryunosuke feels tired here. It’s as if something important is missing. The battle over land continues just beyond the horizon, and something about it draws Ryunosuke’s interest. Maybe he wants to travel? He doesn’t know what’s calling him and it’s frustrating. This used to feel like home, but now it just feels... empty. He doesn’t understand what changed. 

The summer quickly turns to fall, then winter. It’s still warm despite the crisp feeling in the air. At least he has the sea faeries, Ryunosuke muses to himself. And of course, he has the rest of his village when he makes the trek to town. It might be quiet and a bit lonely, but it’s peaceful. Everyone is kind. 

On a day just like any other, the village elders advise that he should wed the pretty blonde from a newly adopted water mage family they recently took under their wing. 

“You’re our village’s pride and joy, Ryunosuke.” The elder croons, “she would make a good wife. I’m sure she’ll bear fine children.”

The prospect isn’t enticing, but out of respect he meets her. She is lovely and friendly. He finds an instant camaraderie with her. He’s always had trouble speaking to women, but they fall into a natural warm chatter. It doesn’t feel so bad, honestly. He’s used to being alone but it’s nice to have the company. If it felt a little closer to love, then maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

But it doesn’t and so it makes his stomach churn thinking about devoting himself to her. 

He’s been alone and single all this time, why are the grannies so insistent on this? He tries to pry the answer out of them but they always change the subject. There is a lot of pressure to wed from the elders and his adopted family is very important to him. But this doesn’t feel right, for many reasons, all of them hard to articulate. After several days of this, he appeases them by saying he’ll consider it more seriously. So he invites Tsumugi over for dinner. 

Ryunosuke chops up some fish, slicing it in a meticulous way. He sets a plate in front of Tsumugi.

“This looks wonderful!” She gasps. He offers a smile and takes a seat with a plate as well. “Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome, Tsumugi-chan.” Ryunosuke takes a few bites, chewing slowly. He tries a few times to make conversation, but it definitely sounds strained. 

“Tsunashi-san, you don’t have to force yourself.” Her smile doesn’t quite meet her eyes. 

“I’m sorry, I haven’t been feeling well.” He forces a nervous laugh, then takes another bite of his food.

“Tsunashi-san, I know that you don’t like the idea of this. It’s fine, you don’t have to pretend…” Even despite the hurt she must be feeling, Tsumugi appears genuinely concerned. It makes Ryunosuke feel worse. 

“You’re a wonderful person, Tsumugi-chan. I care about you a lot. I just don’t know that it’s that kind of love.”

She nods, as if understanding wholeheartedly. 

“I thought if I had to be forced into a marriage, I was lucky for it to be with someone as kind as Tsunashi-san,” Tsumugi says, looking at her meal instead of at him. “I know that’s not a feeling you can understand, so I’m not sure that I can explain it.”

Ryunosuke reaches to place his hand atop hers. 

“If it will help you in some way, Tsumugi-chan, then I’ll do it.” 

She looks up at him, forcing a small smile. She then shakes her head. 

“I couldn’t ask you to do that. Especially if you still have feelings for someone else.”

“What?” Ryunosuke looks over at her, confusion swirling in his mind. Is there someone it appears he likes and he doesn’t know it? Who could it be when there’s no one else their age?

“The elders mentioned there was someone here a few months ago, and that you haven’t been the same since he left.”

Ryunosuke laughs, uneasy. 

“I’m pretty sure I’d know if someone was staying here. I only have one bedroom after all.”

Tsumugi tilts her head slightly, in thought. 

“Even if that’s true, I can give you some more time to decide. It’s for the rest of our lives, I don’t see why we need to rush in the first place.”

Ryunosuke nods at her statement and tries to eat a little more dinner. But something isn’t sitting right in the pit of his stomach. Who would Tsumugi think had stayed in his house? What a strange comment. Something prickles in the back of his mind, but there is no memory to support the inkling he feels. 

That night, Ryunosuke lies in bed, thinking hard about who would have been in his home. Maybe Tsumugi had meant the village as in his metaphorical “home.” But even still, he was the youngest by far, with a good ten years between himself and the next youngest village member. 

He sighs and rolls over, unable to think of anyone that could fit the description. Maybe he’ll ask the elders about it in the morning. He hasn’t been frequenting town as much since he started to feel this way. 

Ryunosuke closes his eyes and finds he can’t sleep. He feels an emptiness he can’t quite explain. 

The next day, after so many have gone by without being able to find what he’s searching for, Ryunosuke approaches two of the village elders.

He explains the strange conversation he had with Tsumugi, and the feeling that something hasn’t been right. He’s expecting laughter and them to tell him he’s over-thinking it. 

Instead, there is some chatter followed by the shaking of heads in response. 

“You may have to ask the faeries,” one says. 

“We don’t know the details, dear,” the other answers. 

That lack of answer confirms there’s definitely something amiss. He hurries home, not bothering to put away what he brought from the market. He sets it down and heads out the back of his cottage. 

Ryunosuke wades out into the sea, deep enough that most of his chest is covered. He sings and the faeries come to him like usual. He makes some clicks, telling them that he’s lonely. He doesn’t know what to do or why there’s an overwhelming sorrow in his heart. 

The most playful one clicks back, says in her tongue that he’s missing his partner. That he has to ask for a miracle. There is some chatter amongst the faeries, but they all seem to come to that agreement. 

“I guess since I’ve never asked for one before…” He scratches the side of his nose. He’s not sure what they mean when they correct him by saying he’s never asked for himself, only his partner. If he had asked for any at all in the past, he certainly doesn’t remember. And what partner? So many questions, but hopefully he’ll get some sort of an answer. The faeries make a chirp sound, and they surround him in a circle. He takes a breath, “okay. I need a miracle. Please, help me find what’s missing.”

Every one of the faeries begins to glow. He’s not quite sure why…after all, it can’t require that much magic?

But it does. His head begins to pound and there’s a face he’s never seen before in his mind. One of the faeries lets out a small cry and collapses. It’s like a wall is beginning to crumble inside his mind, memories coming back one by one. It seems though that each memory takes a faerie’s life. 

“Stop! Please, it’s enough!” Ryunosuke cries, but one by one they still fall. Once magic is triggered, there’s no stopping it, no matter how much he begs them. 

The tiniest one, the one that’s the most playful, wearily flutters up into Ryunosuke’s line of vision. He puts a hand up for her to sit in, and she sets a clam shell in the palm of his hand. It will glow when he’s going in the right direction. Her clicks are becoming slower and Ryunosuke begs her not to go. 

Their smiles are strange, but even still he finds it beautiful. Her last clicks are 「love and be happy.」

She slumps over the shell, never to rise again. As they had before, the bodies of the sea faeries turn into sand. A sea wind gently blows them back out to the horizon. 

Tears blur his vision as he stumbles out of the water onto shore, clutching onto the clam shell. He’s lost his family twice now. He doesn’t try to stop crying, letting the tears flow freely as he mourns what’s been lost. And the reason behind it. Weeks worth of memories have come back, as if they had never been gone. His heart hurts more knowing what had been temporarily taken from him.

He’s not sure that he can forgive Sougo when he sees him, but he knows he has to try. Everything has clicked in his mind, the missing piece to the puzzle, why he’s been so lost, so lonely. He was in love. He was in love and Sougo left him. Why? Was it self-preservation? Was the sex not good? Was everything all a facade? Ryunosuke is overwhelmed with questions and unease. But he’s asked for a miracle, so he can’t let his family down. They gave their lives for one purpose. 

Love, and be happy. 

He has to try. 

Ryunosuke ransacks his own home, trying to piece together a survival kit. He’s able to pack some food, dresses in several layers, and takes a small knife for cutting fruit or branches. He doesn’t know how long this journey will take, he doesn’t even know if he should go. But he knows he can’t leave things as they are. Maybe Sougo will hate him for pursuing but something is burning in his gut, urging him to embark on this crazy mission. 

He gathers his supplies and then he writes a letter to Tsumugi. It’s apologetic, but honest and he leaves it tacked to his front door. He knows she’ll find it there. 

With a deep and nervous breath, Ryunosuke gathers his things and heads toward the mountain that borders the edge of their land. The clam shell seems to light up in that direction, so it must be right. 

As Ryunosuke leaves his village, he doesn’t look back. He knows traveling on foot will take time but he doesn’t have much of a choice. He begins his journey, and after a day’s travel he reaches the foot of the mountain. There is little trouble he encounters. 

However, as he starts to make his way up the side of the mountain, Ryunosuke realizes even several layers of his clothing might not be enough. But he has to brave on in hopes of finding a village for trade. Perhaps he could barter some cured fish, although he notes he is dangerously encroaching on ice wizard territory. He presses on, watching the greenery start to fade the higher he climbs. It’s getting colder at night, and it becomes harder and harder to leave his campfires behind come morning light. His teeth chatter and he runs his hands up and down his arms. He still hasn’t come across a village, but the clam is glowing brightly so he has to be going the right way. 

He didn’t anticipate how cold it would be. 

Just as the chill starts to weather into his bones, just as he’s starting to feel like the cold will be the death of him, he hears a tiny click. He stands perfectly still, in case it’s merely remnants of sorrow, echoes of memories gnawing at his mind from guilt. 

He holds his breath. 

_Click._

It’s impossible, but he quietly listens for more clicking sounds. He takes a step in the direction he heard it from and the clam shell loses some of its glow. 

Pursuing the sound means going the wrong way. 

He’s torn, but if it is _somehow_ a sea faerie, it’s definitely in distress. Ryunosuke can’t turn his back on one. He makes his way toward the clicking. His steps are measured and careful, approaching the sound as quietly as he can. 

To his complete surprise, there is a familiar glint tangled in the thorns of a rose bush. As he draws near, he sees that the tiny creature is clearly wounded. But it’s not a sea faerie. 

It’s a snow faerie. 

Ryunosuke stares at the faerie. He’s slightly bigger in size than the ones from the sea, and despite delicate features, his eyes are sharp and gray. The faerie is clearly distressed more now that a human has seen him. He thrashes wildly, his short midnight blue hair frizzing from the motion. 

“Wait, calm down, I won’t hurt you!” Ryunosuke cries out, then tries to say it in the language the sea faeries taught him. The snow faerie freezes and looks up at the mage. 

「How do you know our tongue?」

Ryunosuke smiles. 「I was friends with sea faeries, they saved my life. Let me help you, in turn. Please?」 

The snow faerie seems annoyed, but clicks a quiet consent. Ryuunosuke smiles and breaks him free of the branches. 

He reaches into his bag and pulls out a small piece of dried fruit. 

The faerie folds his arms and looks away, clicking his tongue in irritation. 「It’s an incorrect assumption that I like sweets.」

Ryunosuke scratches the side of his nose and clicks back, apologetic. 「Aha, sorry, the sea faeries used to like it.」

There’s a huff, followed by a resigned click. 「Well, only because it’s an emergency.」

He seems to genuinely enjoy eating it. Cute. Ryuu plucks the thorns from him. The faerie makes tiny sounds of pain, _careful,_ but seems to perk up once all of them have been removed. He happily finishes off the fruit. 

「Thank you for your assistance.」

Ryunosuke smiles. 「You’re welcome. I’m glad you’re okay.」

The faerie gives a nod, then tries to flutter its wing but falls right back into the palm of Ryunosuke’s hand. 

「You’re wounded. If you’d like, I can lend my shoulder for a bit?」

There’s a huff, but when Ryunosuke puts his hand to his shoulder the faerie takes a seat. The mage smiles, and takes out the clam shell to try and redirect himself. He follows the path any time the shell glows, readjusting course if the light starts to fade. But the brighter it glows, the higher up the mountain it seems to want him to go. Ryunosuke is starting to shiver as he walks, his steps becoming slower. 

There are some heated clicks from the snow faerie, mainly along the lines of chiding him for not wearing appropriate clothing. Ryunosuke laughs nervously and starts to explain his story. As he details out what happened, the harshness on the faerie’s face turns to concern. 

There’s a sigh, and the faerie tells Ryunosuke to place his hand atop some snow. Though doing so with a bare hand seems like a terrible idea, Ryunosuke has an innate trust of when a faerie asks him to do something. 

He places his hand on a small pile of snow. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees the snow faerie is glowing. Panic washes over him, but before he can shout, the glow fades away. The faerie folds his arms and huffs. The clicks are a stern sound. 「It’s only because you saved me.」

Ryunosuke no longer feels cold. He looks down to see an elegant blue robe draped over a dressy white shirt and black pants. The inside of the robe shimmers when the light hits it. At a glance, it would appear that these clothes wouldn’t keep anyone warm. But the cloth feels like there’s a gentle thrum of warmth coming from the threads. His face lights up. 

「Incredible!」He thanks the faerie, who is clearly embarrassed. His response is telling Ryunosuke not to fuss. 

Ryunosuke chuckles, feeling like things are starting to look up. That night, when they camp, he lets the faerie sleep in his pocket as a makeshift blanket of sorts. Thanks to the magic threads, they both are warm and protected. 

He finds the faerie to be a much needed relief for the stress of his journey. The brunette enjoys companionship and though the faerie is sharp with his tongue, he seems to take a liking to Ryunosuke in his own way. The water mage is finding himself smiling more with his new found friend. 

One night, as camp is being set up toward the top of the mountain, the clam shell begins to glow extremely bright. No matter what threads or objects are tossed over it, nothing can dim the light that’s resonating. 

「Doesn’t that mean you’re close?」The faerie asks, and Ryunosuke gives a nod. His wings are fluttering as he hovers in the brunette’s line of sight. He can’t fly for long or for far, but he seems happy to stretch his wings for a bit. 

“I’m close…” he mutters to himself, looking at the shell. A mix of excitement and nerves wash over him. He’s close. He’ll see Sougo again, and hopefully once he does things will fall into place. His lips tug into a small smile. As he looks up to meet the faerie’s wide eyes, he realizes something is wrong. 

The blow to the back of his head is enough to bring him to his knees. His vision is blurring but he hears,

“Ahh!! It’s a snow faerie!!” 

There are hands that are grabbing him, binding him. His head is spinning, but he still tries to struggle. 

“Rikkun, stay back!” A voice shouts, while another says calmly,

“He’s not going anywhere. I got ‘im.”

“Whoa, Mikki’s cool.” There’s a chuckle and he’s stumbling, being dragged in the snow. Ryunosuke can’t fight it, he can only stagger the way he’s being tugged. 

“Hey, this little guy is angry!” 

“Stick ‘em in this jar?”

“He’ll suffocate!”

The banter continues, but Ryunosuke can't think, he can only feel the pressure in his head. 

He wants to call for help but can’t. Besides, who could help him now?

Not when he was so close. Please…

“Sougo...“ Ryuunosuke manages before he closes his eyes and succumbs to darkness. 

The first thing Ryunosuke feels when he comes to is the scratchy rub of ropes binding his wrists. He groans, trying to shift, but he’s tied to something. 

He forces his eyes open, vision blurred but starting to focus. His eyes meet blue ones that are bright but visibly angry. 

“How do you know Sou-chan?” The younger man demands. 

“Sou-chan?” Ryunosuke isn’t quite ready for an interrogation as his head throbs from the prior night. Sou...chan. Wait, in the story Sougo told him wasn’t that...? “Do you mean Sougo-kun?”

“Yeah. You said his name before you passed out.” The look on his face is evident: I don’t know you and I don’t trust you. 

Ryunosuke shifts as he tries to ignore the pounding in his head, then asks, “are you...Tamaki-kun?”

Tamaki’s eyes go wide. 

“You’re him. The guy Sou-chan’s-“ he clamps his mouth shut, already having said too much. 

“Is Sougo-kun here? Can I...can I see him?” Ryunosuke pleads, his voice cracking slightly. 

Tamaki shakes his head, “Sou-chan is dealing with the other one.”

“Other one?”

“Ya, your girlfriend.”

Ryunosuke’s eyes go wide, “Tsumugi-chan is here?” Had she followed him when she found his note? Dangerous! How could she do something so reckless, so-

“So you _did_ cheat on Sou-chan.”

Ryunosuke shakes his head. “Tsumugi-chan is a good friend of mine, but it’s not like that.” 

He’s met with a disapproving face. Tamaki squints, as if trying to read his mind. After a moment, he frowns. 

“‘Kay.”

“You believe me?”

He shrugs. “Doesn’t seem like you’re lying. But what’re you doin’ all the way out here? Sou-chan said the ocean guy was far away.”

Ocean guy. Sougo...Sougo talked about him? Ryunosuke doesn’t want to get his hopes up but he’s come so far. He can’t give up now. 

“I came to see him.” Tamaki makes a face and then sighs.

“Sou-chan’s really bad at sayin’ what he wants.” Ryuunosuke gives a nod, as that’s definitely not news. “But he also said that he can’t see you! So…” He scratches the side of his head. It looks like he’s confusing himself trying to work through his thoughts.

“Maybe...you could tell him I’m here?”

There’s a loud cry from outside wherever they are. The door slams open and the redhead from last night calls, 

“Tamaki! We need you at the village wall, Sougo-san’s father practically sent an army to drag him back!” Tamaki is already on his feet and halfway to the door when Ryuunosuke calls, 

“Wait! Please! Let me help!” He struggles viciously against the ropes, the knots starting to loosen. The thought of Sougo being so close and in danger is making his adrenaline pump through his veins and blood rush to his head. 

“We can’t!” The redhead protests, grabbing one of Tamaki’s wrists.

“Rikkun…” 

“I want to protect him too!” Ryunosuke calls, struggling against his bindings. Tamaki shuffles for a moment, caught by a moment of indecision. Ryunosuke is still trying to free himself. Tamaki breaks Riku’s grip and runs over to undo the knots. He works quickly, then rejoins his friend’s side.

“Stay here until we’re outta sight!” Tamaki yells and takes Riku’s hand. He pulls the other boy along, “Stay close to me, Rikkun.” He mutters something under his breath and the two of them are swept up in a gust of wind that pushes them quickly out of sight. Ryunosuke finally shakes free of the ropes. He hears a loud thud coming from one of the shelves in the room. There’s a big box with holes poked in it; Ryunosuke can guess who’s in there.

Ryunosuke gets to his feet, rolling his wrists as he dashes to the box. He opens the lid and sees the faerie tied up as well. He quickly undoes the tiny ropes, careful not to hurt him. The faerie is clearly perturbed, and Ryunosuke mutters a soft apology in faerie tongue. 

He then runs after the younger two. Even if they’re out of sight, he saw the direction they headed. The faerie flutters by his side, muttering under his breath about humans. 

Ryunosuke’s sliding as he rushes down the hill, racing past small cottages and faces that he’s never seen before. There are a few gasps at the stranger running toward the entrance to the village. The village is small, like his home, so it’s no surprise that seeing an unfamiliar face is unsettling. Not to mention seeing a snow faerie out in the open like this is exceedingly strange.

But there are bigger fish to fry.

Ryunosuke skids to a halt at the edge of battle. There’s a fleet of fire wizards launching flames as if the price to pay for them was nothing. The brunette is taken aback by how easily they slice their palms to draw blood. The blood disappears and fire appears in its stead. Just like Sougo explained to him. _Fire wizards tend to offer blood to create flame. That’s why their attacks are fierce and quick._

He looks to see if there is melted water nearby. The ground is full of snow, but it has to be water for him to manipulate it. Fortunately, there is a well and he commands the water up to cascade along the ground. He rushes the blast toward two of the fire wizards fighting Tamaki and his friend. Their flames sizzle, and Ryunosuke heats the leftover water on their palms. It scalds their hands, sealing the cuts that were fueling the fire.

“Whoa!!” Tamaki’s mouth is agape. “Ocean guy, that was cool!” There’s really no time for praise, but Tamaki can’t help commenting. He then lands a punch to one of the stunned wizards before another flame can be summoned. 

“More help is coming!” Riku shouts and Ryunosuke follows his excited gaze to the forms that are fast approaching. 

One in particular stands out from the rest and for a moment the brunette thinks he forgot to breathe. Ryunosuke can see Sougo running toward him. He’s running _toward him_ , or maybe Ryunosuke is just stupidly hopeful despite being in the middle of a battle. Their eyes meet as the distance shortens. However, neither of them get a chance to shout for the other because a wall of fire separates them. The flames cause Ryunosuke to jump back, and they almost envelop his faerie friend. 

It feels like forces outside their control are trying to keep them apart, like something greater is trying to prevent them from reuniting. It’s as if the price Sougo paid for taking Ryunosuke’s memories was to bear the burden of unrequited love. 

The fire wizards are fierce in their assault. There are shouts from all sides, battles waging in small pockets. 

Ryunosuke suddenly hears, “Tamaki-kun!” 

The sheer terror in the tone causes Ryunosuke to whip his head to see what’s going on. He can imagine the panic and fear on Sougo’s face as he sees from just out of reach that a fire wizard is standing on Tamaki’s arm. The teen is unable to cast any rebuttal spells and struggles with a cry, trying desperately to pull away. Ryunosuke’s body moves before his mind realizes he’s running toward the sword swinging down. 

Tamaki is just a kid. A seemingly good kid that’s been Sougo’s family long before he was in the picture. Ryunosuke knows what it’s like to lose family. That’s why he doesn’t hesitate. He pushes the wizard off of the teen, only to be retaliated against with the sword. It’s swift; the hilt of the offending sword bumps his sternum as red soaks through his white shirt.

Ryunosuke feels the sharp pain in his chest as he crumples to the ground. It’s hard to breathe, to think, to do anything. 

There’s blackness in his vision. He can see nothing, feel nothing except his fear that this is the end. 

This is the end. 

_Sougo, I..._  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.

The balance is equal. 

The price, freedom and half a heart. 

The binding is complete. 

There is ice, wind, and then the fire is no more. 

For now.

When Ryunosuke opens his eyes, he sees a ceiling very different from the one in his own home. He turns his head and looks to see a familiar sprout of hair. Sougo is on his knees beside the bed, sleeping atop his crossed forearms. Ryunosuke smiles and reaches a hand to card through soft strands of white hair. 

It’s real. He’s here. 

Sougo stirs, and it takes a moment for him to truly wake. His eyes blink open, and for a moment, nothing. Then violet eyes blink open very wide and Sougo gasps, “You’re alive!”

“Is Tamaki-kun okay?” He asks and Sougo buries his face in the sheets. Sougo manages a nod, but keeps his face pressed into the blankets. “Sougo-kun, what-?”

“I thought I lost you again,” he chokes, clearly hiding his face out of embarrassment. Ryunosuke can hear the cracking in his voice. 

“Hey, come here,” The brunette moves to wrap his arms around him, voice soft and soothing. 

“No, I don’t deserve-“ Sougo tries to weakly push back, but the warmth of Ryunosuke’s arms are too inviting. He pulls Sougo up and really there’s no choice but for him to climb onto the bed as well. 

“I’m still mad at you for leaving,” Ryunosuke admits, holding Sougo close, afraid of letting him go. “But I know I’ll forgive you.”

Sougo’s breath shudders as he buries his face in Ryunosuke’s chest. There are no tears as he shakes his head, but he resigns to staying there. Ryunosuke marvels at how easily Sougo fits in his arms, how nice it feels to embrace his warmth once more. Sougo leans his ear right where Ryunosuke was stabbed and lets out a shaky breath of relief.

“It’s beating.” Sougo’s fingers press into the pulse point of Ryunosuke’s neck, as if the beating under his ear wasn’t enough to verify his heartbeat. 

“It has to be your magick,” the brunette comments, “I don’t know how but I can feel it.”

“Forgive me, freedom was the only price I could pay,” Sougo murmurs and somehow Ryunosuke understands. Sougo’s hand rests on his chest, over his heart, as if to inspect it. He’s not sure how he knows, but Ryunosuke knows that their hearts are connected as are their lives. If one heart stops beating, then the other will follow suit. The freedom to live unconstrained was forfeited. He cards a hand through Sougo’s hair, letting the gravity of that sink in. He’ll ask about it in detail eventually but now isn’t the time. There’s something more pressing to ask.

“Your village is okay?”

“After you saved Tamaki-kun, he unleashed a gale force unlike anything we’d ever seen. His rage was frightening. I was the only one that could calm him down.”

Ryunosuke nuzzles his face in Sougo’s hair, trying to comfort but also reminding himself that this is real. “You must have been scared…”

“First Tamaki-kun, then you… I’ve never been more scared in my life.” Ryunosuke can hear the pain in his voice and presses soft kisses to the top of his head. Sougo starts to relax with a shaky breath. There’s quiet between them for a bit. 

“How did you remember?” Sougo finally asks, but the tremble in his voice indicates he’s scared of the answer. 

“...I asked for a miracle.”

Sougo looks up at him, fear in his eyes. “But the price to break such strong magick-! It would…” 

Ryunosuke looks away from Sougo’s gaze, trying to keep his face neutral. 

“How many?” Sougo asks, his voice barely a whisper. 

The brunette shakes his head. Sougo understands and brings a hand to cover his mouth. He looks like he’s going to be sick. 

Ryunosuke reaches to cup Sougo’s cheek in his palm. “They’ll be born again in time,” he explains softy, “we just have to believe in them.”

Sougo swallows, but Ryunosuke can see that the guilt is too much. So he pulls Sougo close and rests his chin on the crown of his head. 

“They told me to love and be happy,” he says quietly. “That’s why I came to find you.”

Sougo doesn’t respond to that, but he lets Ryunosuke hold him until they both fall asleep. 

The next few days are awkward as they try to navigate each other once more. Eventually, Sougo explains the full story of how they managed to push back the fire wizards. At one point, Tsumugi visits him while he’s healing. She’s decided to stay in the village and is working on negotiating peace talks. She’s glad to see he’s okay. Tamaki comes to thank Ryunosuke for saving him. His room is on the other side of the cabin, but he’s been staying with his friend - the redheaded wizard he’s always with. “It’s gross to watch Sou-chan like this.” He shrugs, and says it’s okay though. It seems like even for a kid, Tamaki is perceptive that Sougo needs some time to work things out on his own. The snow faerie seems to have taken a liken to Tamaki and Riku, but when Ryunosuke clicks a comment about it he gets the response,「I don’t like either of them, they’re troublesome.」He can’t help but chuckle. 

Sougo, despite his reservations, barely leaves Ryunosuke’s side in almost a mirror image to how he had been cared for when his arm was damaged. They begin to talk more easily with one another. Sometimes it’s almost like they’re back in Ryunosuke’s home doing chores and other times it’s feels like it isn’t reality. There’s a strange air between them. Something palpable is building under the surface. A longing that’s starting to ignite with every accidental brush of fingers, with every moment they’re within each other’s reach. 

It’s over a week later, when Ryunosuke is feeling much better that Sougo is bold enough to straddle his lap. The shorter man steals a heated kiss and murmurs, “let me do all the work.”

Sougo is a strange man, but Ryunosuke is glad that he wills himself to give his lover a shaky nod. Sougo might make quick work of Ryuunosuke's clothes, but this time it’s Sougo that moves so slowly it makes Ryunosuke impatient. He was nervous that it wouldn’t be like their first time and honestly it isn’t. There’s something stronger this time, a connection that neither of them shies away from. Not to mention that Sougo’s eagerness is so enticing. Ryunosuke burns the image of his lover riding him into his mind. The entire time Sougo keeps his hand on Ryunosuke’s scar, and in turn his eyes fixate on the matching one Sougo has on his chest. He grips at stuttering hips, desperate to keep their bodies connected. It’s hot and slow and it’s as if this time they’re naked beyond skin-level. After all, they now share one heart. 

Cleanup is quick thanks to some water by the bedside and the skilled hands of the water mage. Ryunosuke pulls Sougo to him, nuzzling their foreheads together. There’s a soft breath followed by the mumbling of some words. 

“You’re not trying to cast another spell on me are you?” It’s meant to be a joke, but Ryunosuke can’t help that his voice trembles slightly in execution.

Sougo shakes his head. Ryunosuke kisses him, trailing his fingers along his thigh. Sougo sighs into the kiss and when they part for air he manages a bit louder,

“I love you too.” Ryunosuke smiles, resting his hand on the small of Sougo’s back. “I should have told you the first time, but I was scared. I was scared of this feeling.”

“I know. You were trying to protect both of us.” Ryunosuke kisses him again, softly, making sure that he isn’t dreaming. That Sougo is really still beside him. He sighs softly against his lips, “But now we can share the burden together.”

“Together,” Sougo repeats, “sounds nice.” He smiles and moves to bury his face in the juncture where Ryunosuke’s neck meets his shoulder. Together. He smooths his hand down Sougo’s back, content to touch somewhere, anywhere on his skin. He kisses the top of his head once more before he closes his eyes.

Ryunosuke doesn’t hesitate drifting off to sleep.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
When the summer comes, they take Tamaki and Riku to where Ryunosuke used to live. The two are ecstatic, quick to run and splash in the water. It’s odd to not see the cranky snow faerie fluttering behind them, but the weather is too warm for him here. Sougo chuckles at their youthful playfulness and Ryunosuke smiles brightly. It warms his heart to share the ocean with his new family. He thought it might be painful to come back, but he finds peace here. Ryuunosuke stands toward the edge of the shore and Sougo takes his hand. He looks down at his lover, offering a smile and receiving a shy one in return. 

“Is it too much?” Sougo asks, concerned. 

Ryunosuke shakes his head, “No. I miss them, but I feel like they’re here.”

Sougo gives his hand a small squeeze. 

“Whoa! Lookit those.”

“Sougo-san! Tsunashi-san! Look at the sparkles!”

The childlike wonder makes Ryunosuke smile. The sea always is beautiful when glistening. But both he and Sougo catch it in the same moment, just on the horizon. 

Two very distinct glimmers. 

Ryunosuke grips Sougo’s hand when he hears a small gasp. Tears blur his vision. 

“You never stopped believing either.”

“Never,” Sougo affirms, and they smile at the new sea faeries dancing far out from the shore. Ryunosuke slides an arm around Sougo’s waist, drawing him in. Sougo returns the embrace, resting his cheek on Ryunosuke’s chest. Sougo does this a lot, leans against his chest and listens to the rescued heart as if he’s afraid it’ll stop beating any second. Perhaps Sougo doubts his own magickal prowess, since he gives a sigh of relief any time he hears the pulse under Ryunosuke’s skin. The brunette leans down to give him a soft kiss atop his head. He thinks of the price Sougo paid for him and of course, that makes him think of the price he paid as well. He thinks of the sea faeries, especially the one who passed on her wish to him; he thinks of the last words he heard her say. 

Ryunosuke hopes she can see for herself somewhere. 

They head back home with the promise of returning again.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
Tsunashi Ryunosuke lives in a small village on the side of the mountain. He leads a simple life: every morning he wakes up, gives his lover a kiss, goes to the lake, catches fish for the village, delivers them personally, comes home, cooks, and sleeps. Of course there are additional items scattered in between those tasks, but essentially that’s the long and short of it. Rinse, lather, repeat. He teaches his lover that it’s okay to rely on him and that together they can share the weight of love. He teaches their ward about fishing, the ocean, and sea faeries. Maybe the fighting will stop one day, but these things take time. There isn’t quite peace between the mages and wizards yet, but they’re working on it. Sougo and Ryunosuke’s union helped it along, the smallest bit. It’s colder here than he’s used to, but the love he feels keeps him warm. Ryunosuke remembers every day to love, and be happy. 

And he is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy SouRyuu day, I love them pls stan them
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the heartbreak since it came with a happy ending! Thank you for reading and mayhaps I’ll revisit this au again. 🤔


End file.
